Alarm device having integrated battery

• US 5,774,044 A
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Hayashi, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US08/764,021
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/428, 180/287, 307/10.7, 307/10.2, 307/10.3
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1018 Alarm systems characterised by features related to the general power supply

Abstract

An alarm device of an anti-theft system for a vehicle is composed of a microcomputer ordinary connected by a power-supply wire to a vehicle battery, an electric-sound-generator driven by the microcomputer, a wire-disconnection-detecting-circuit for detecting disconnection of the power-supply-wire of the alarm device from a vehicle battery, an integrated auxiliary battery connected to the microcomputer and the sound-generator, a transistor for cutting power supply to the microcomputer from the auxiliary battery when the anti-theft system is not on the watch, sensors for detecting access to the vehicle compartment and an outside controller connected to the sensors to turn on the transistor when the system is on the watch and turns off the transistor when the system is not on the watch. If the access to the vehicle compartment or wire-disconnection is detected while the anti-theft system is on the watch, the microcomputer drives the sound-generator to give the alarm.

Claims

1. An anti-theft system for a vehicle including a vehicle battery, an ignition key switch, a sensor for detecting access to a compartment of said vehicle, a control unit connected to said ignition switch and said access-detecting sensor for determining whether or not said system is on the watch and an alarm device connected to said vehicle battery and said control unit, wherein said alarm device comprises:

an integrated auxiliary battery;

an alarming-sound generator for sounding when energized;

a disconnection-detecting unit for detecting disconnection of said alarm device from said vehicle battery;

a driving unit, connected to said disconnection-detecting unit and to said control unit, for activating said alarming-sound generator when said driving unit is supplied with power; and

power supplying means, connected to said auxiliary battery and said driving unit, for supplying power from said auxiliary battery to said driving unit when said control unit determines that said system is on the watch and said disconnection-detecting unit detects a disconnection of said alarm device from said vehicle battery, wherein

said supplying means cuts power supplied to said driving unit when said control unit determines that said system is not on the watch, regardless of whether or not said disconnection-detecting unit detects a disconnection.

2. An anti-theft system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a door-lock switch for sensing operation of a door lock, wherein

said control unit determines that said system is on the watch when said ignition switch is turned off and a door-lock switch is turned off, and that said system is not on the watch when said ignition switch is turned on and said door-lock switch is turned off.

3. An alarm device for an alarming system including a main battery, an outside controller for producing a watch signal putting said system on the watch, said alarm device comprising:

an integrated auxiliary battery;

an alarming-sound generator which sounds when energized;

a driving unit, connected to said main battery and to said auxiliary battery, for driving said alarming-sound generator when power is supplied to said driving unit;

a wire-disconnection-detecting unit for producing a disconnection signal when said main battery is disconnected from said driving unit; and

a changeover unit, connected between said auxiliary battery and said driving unit, for selectively supplying power from said auxiliary battery to said driving unit to control said alarming-sound generator according to said watch signal and disconnection signal, wherein

(a) said changeover unit supplies power to said driving unit when said outside controller produces said watch signal and said wire-disconnection-detecting unit produces said disconnection signal, and

(b) said changeover unit cuts power supplied to said driving unit when said outside controller does not produce said watch signal, regardless of said disconnection signal.

4. An alarm device as claimed in claim 3, wherein

said driving unit is connected to said outside controller by a single input-wire to receive said watch signal so that said driving unit activates said alarming-sound generator if said single input-wire is disconnected while said system is put on the watch.

5. An alarm device as claimed in claim 3 further comprising an abnormality-detecting sensor, connected to said outside controller, for detecting an abnormal condition of said system;

wherein

said outside controller sends an abnormality signal to said driving unit through said single input-wire together with said watch signal, and

said driving unit discriminates respective signals.

6. An alarm device for an alarming system for a vehicle including a vehicle battery, said alarm device comprising:

determining means, connected to an ignition switch of the vehicle and having a sensor to detect an operation of said vehicle, for determining whether or not said vehicle is on the watch according to a signal of said sensor;

an alarming-sound generator for sounding when power is supplied thereto;

a driving unit for supplying power to said alarming-sound generator;

an integrated auxiliary battery connected to said driving unit;

an abnormality-detecting unit for producing an abnormality signal when an abnormality is detected; and

a changeover unit, connected between said driving unit and said auxiliary battery, for selectively supplying power from said auxiliary battery to said driving unit according to the determination of said determining means and to said disconnection signal, wherein

(a) said changeover unit supplies power to said driving unit when said determining means determines that said system is on the watch and said abnormality signal is produced, and

(b) said changeover unit cuts power supplied to said driving unit when said determining means determines that said system is not on the watch irrespective of said abnormality signal.

7. A alarm device as claimed in claim 6, wherein

said determining means further has a sensor for sensing operation of a door lock switch and determines that said system is on the watch when said ignition switch is turned off and a door-lock switch is turned off, and determines that said system is not on the watch when said ignition switch is turned on and said door-lock switch is turned off.